Coach of the Week: Tony Peralta of Elsinore High School

It's a school that's been around since the 19th century, and they've been playing football at Elsinore High School for the past 83 years.

But it took until 2010 for the Tigers to win their first CIF championship. So what does Elsinore High do for an encore? Well, they're off to a 6-1 start.

Tony Peralta has been the head coach at Elsinore High for 10 years, winning seven league titles.

"We asked for 2 percent more," said Peralta. "We were asking to find new ways to get better. And I think there are ways for us to improve from a year ago. Move beyond what we've ever done."

Peralta says he shares in the success with his staff and a group of players who have the desire, the heart, and a willingness to "close the gap."

"There's a gap in everybody's life between their potential and where they're performing," said Peralta. "And certainly a potential is the limit, and sky is the limit. We don't want to put any limitation on ourselves and what we can become. We don't want to believe what other people believe in us. We want to believe in ourselves and what we are capable of and go beyond that."

Not only did Elsinore High win its first CIF championship in school history, the Tigers also won their first Riverside County Academic Championship with a team GPA of 3.67.

"I think a lot can be attributed to coach and all the coaches on his staff," said Tigers running back Allan Stubbs. "They are the ones who push us and make us do what we do, make us work hard."

"Just the lessons he's taught us, excellence and integrity in all we do," said Peralta's son Nolan, who's also the team's tight end. "Just transferring that over to class and the field as well. Just always fighting and never give up. And just keep playing our hardest at all times."

And in a true sign of respect for what he's done at Elsinore High, Peralta was nominated for the award by a fan of an opposing team.